My role at Tom's is occasional poster. When I have a question about a computer system or part purchase, I will often ask questions and see what kind of advice people have for me. I am also just a "lurker" at times, surfing through posts reading things of interest and learning as I go. Going forward I can see my role being much the same. I would probably never have the time or inclination to become more than a "sometimes" user and I certainly don't have the knowledge or skill to ever be a forum expert or moderator. I will continue to use Tom's as I need it and when the mood strikes. I will read articles on the newest, coolest toys and read what the community has to say about them. If one wants to be highly involved in Tom's it can take hours each night to read the thousands or new posts and questions and find something you can contribute to. My time commitment usually varies by task. Because of the many millions of Tom's users, there is little danger of the community suffering if I don't post. At the same time, the community may benefit from time to time if I do post about something I have personally used or had trouble with (troubleshooting advice is always valuable information). Going forward I will probably drop in on Tom's for an hour or so a week to read and keep up to date with things. When I want to buy something new, I may spend many hours a week reading and researching, questioning and inquiring, trying to find out what I need to know.
